LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 31, 31 October 1907, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The postal authorities adviso that arrangements have now been made whereby tho United Kingdom now accepts from New Zealand parcels insured from £60 to £400. The rate chargeable is Is. 6d. for £60, and 3d. for each additional £12 up to £398, and 9s. for £400. A wharf labourer named Waiter Murton was injured on tho wharf yesterday whilst working in H shed. A cask of cement weighing 3.} cwt. rolled on tho man's foot, bruising it sqvorely. -The Fire Brigade was called out at nino o'clock yesterday morning to a gorso firo on the Town Bolt, at tho top of Bidwell Street. Another call was received at 2.7 p.m. to.a rubbish liro in M'Farlano Street. v A I'ress Association message from Masterton statos that it is proposed to oompilo a history "of the foundation and career of tho Masterton Trust Lands Trust from it's origin. The work of. compilation will probably bo entrusted to Mr. R. Brown, formerly town clerk, v,'ho is thoroughly conversant with the facts and incidents. ' Thore is on exhibition at the Trades Hall, Lower Cuba Street, a handsomely-mounted picture of tho Union Steamship Company's turbiao stoamor Maheno. This pictufo, tho valuo o r which is estimated at five guineas, was won by Mr. (}. P. Doyle in tho peaguossing competition at tho Labour picnic on October 0. , ' ■ \ Mr. C. J. Bush, Methodist missionary for tho King Country, has communicated with the'Primo Minister' with reference' to a largo waterfall in Taranaki. The waterfall'is west of Ohura, and can bo heard four miles'away:'' A seam'of splendid coal is also to be seen in this gorge.. Another iraterfall in the same district has a drop.of :70ft. By tho liner Opawa, due from London in a week's time, will arrive 45 knots of now oable, which is to b'- laid from Lyell Bay I across Cook Strait by the Tutanekai, which ,steamer is now. being, fitted,.for, tho work at tho Railway Wharf. Tho new cable is to supplement- those already down, and, which are at times fully employed in coping with tho telegraphic'traffic between the'two islands. Tho :wh'olo' of ; tho work is to bo done under , the . supervision of Mr. J. K. Logan. ■■ Thore . was 1 a little excitement yesterday forenoon when smoke .was found to be issuinginto tho main banking chambor of tho new National Bank in Grey Street. Tho attention of the manager, Mr. G: F. Gee, was called' to tho matter, and he, at once."sent' for the firigiido, ...when; it', yras 'discovored'-"that,,the, smoke,'and firo wore issuing from : a defective flu^liir'tho, of! tlie, dc'sthictorYused; for. destroying ! valueless,, papers..-: Tho;. fire was' 'extinguished without any great damage' 1 being done. .: , ... :■ ~... ,

UtflU£ UUIItJ.., ....... , In conncction with tho train service beyond Mataroa, on the Main Trunk line, it is proposed, to, extend the. running of. senger'train "to" Ohakune .is from November I. ' The effect of this will be to shorten tho coach trip by six miles, and to accelerate tho journey of passengers from' the'north, who will now' 1 bo able to reaclv' Mataroa at 5.45 p.m., connccting with tlio train for Taibape, which, leaves, at 6.25. This. will enable them to spend the night'at Taihape, instead 'of 'Waionru, and to catch tho: early train next morning, allowing to reach Wanganui at 11.30 a.m., or Wellington at 5.5 p.m. ' ' Captain, Hcllwagge, of the Gorman ship Maipo, wliich' arrived at Newcastle recently, reported to the authorities that on one of the Suwarrow Islands, which lie about 490 miles east /'of' tie . Samoan group, two fires—probably signals of observed; oil September "19,,' liut,' on account'-'of heavy weather, he was unable to , investigate. Mr. . G! Allport, . secretary of. the Marine Department, has asked the authorities ill Auckland to instruct the master of the first vessel' going in the 'direction of the Islands to call.. .('The churches; will have nothing: to. do with us, because..the demonstration,is .0i1..a Sunday ; they would assist us if .it,.was on a , Saturday," . said , the'..chairman of ..the Bandsmpns',: Hospital Sunday,-' Fund, , last night. Tho.. point, was raised by a delegate, who pointed out that in many towns in England Hospital Sunday was- observed, special collections' for. the. fund being taken up in all the churches. Tho chairman'' added •that tho local churches had'been approached several years ago, ;but they had refused to assist for the reason'" 'stated.',> It was suggested, that ,tho„ demonstration': might, be lipid on a Saturday, but tho secretary pointed out -that'tho' ; batids,' could not bo got together for'that'day. : ■■■ ■'/' '

J Inability to find a seaman out of work; :n a shipping centre like Wellington, seems alinost'incredifcks. ' Yot,the ; Blackball'collier/ Petono,' was 'delayed from Tuesday -night, until 11' a.ml' yesterday,'through being "unable. to procure a seaman, to replace a desorter. The ; captain of ; the Petono proached three seamen,' 'and' they all expressed tliomselvbs ■ willing 1 to go on their own ;; terms, which were: Hours, B'-''a.m. 1 ■'«?.> 5 p.m.; wages 10s. per day; and overtime for' worlc''done after o'p.m.' 1 As their request was considered unreasonable, the wages alom boing about twice as much as ordinary seameii • receive, they,' were passed., ?A..' substitute was' found yesterday morning, and the, Petono sailed with hor full complomcnt for Greymouth. i

Tho weird eccontricitics of Wellington's street numbering system—or lack of it— haW made countless' thousands 1 mourn.' ' A couple of conscientious Pressmen last night had an oxciting experience. Down for a mdeting at No. 09b. in a certain street,'; iliey wandered around; disconsolately like lost soub •in the outer ; blnckncss., Into! all sorts of, noisome,. ill-lighted alleyways and.corners they penetrated, but all without success. Number 99b eluded.them liko : a wanton will-' o'-thc-wisp. But at last-, as they were about to retraoe. their baffled and despairing footsteps,'bright, glad-eyed Hope beckoned them cheerily. Away down a dim and dismal, alley, at the back of 99, a light in the window gleamed. brightly for, thorn.. Hero, at hist, tho quest was ended.' Approaching, a chocrful, persistent;tnp, tap, fell on the ear of the tired scribes. Grateful and glad, they climbed up a crazy, creaking set of stairs, and open Hung■, the door. Inside a melancholy, lean-faced man wr-j ; iking a coflin. It was an undortakor's, the tap, tap still proceeded as tho ditca vepbrters stumbled blindly downstairs. \. t- coflin wa3 wanted in a hurry. 1

A fine selection of: photographic cards, Dominion Bay and. It.M.S. Turakina on Fiio now on view at ZAlv'S PHOTO DEPOT, 21 Willis Street.' On sale at popular priccs. CGtl Mrs. Ethel It. Do Costa, LL.B. (nee "li;a Ethel 11. Benjamin of Dunedin), after practis. tug .'for somo years in that' city, has commenccd practicc as a barrister and solieitov in No. C Nathan's Buildings, corner Grer and Featherston Streets, Wellington. Jlrs. Do Costa lias the distinction of being tho only lady praoUsing at tho Bnr in the Dominion." Intending clients can dspend on prompt and carelV 'ittoulion at Mrs. Do' Costa's hands.

A farm hand named Fred Mullins, thirtyciglit yoars of age, engaged in tho Happy Valloy station, Brooklyn, was admitted to the Hospital yesterday suffering from a broken Icy, caused by a horse he was riding, falling on him.

An additional dignity is about to be thrust on the thriving suburb of Kilbirnio by tho establishment of a police station'.' 'TKe" necessary authority has been given, and, as soon as tho arrangements can be made, a eonstablo is to be sent out to reside permanently in tho suburb. •• - -

The guardians of tho peace have soma peculiar positions thrust upon them. - A witness in an assault action at the Magistrate's Court yesterday morning' stated thai ho went up to' the sergeant and asked'him 1 / to smell his breath so as to be able to cor- ' ■ tify that witness had not been drinking. The next lecture of the "series' which ii , being given under tho auspices' of tbe Wellington Public Library will bo delivered bj Mr! A. L. D. Fraser, M.H.R.; on Monday ovening, November 4. Tho subject of tlw''' lecture is " Reminiscences of the Maori.' 1 Mr. Fraser is a: recognised>authority:,on Maori life and customs,- and his lecture should ho an exceptionally interesting onp. Soipo excitement was'caused .at the junction of Feathorston and - Panama Streota. about- two o'clock yesterday' afternoon; by !< - thb bi'eaking' of a' water main." Power cables ' aro being laid in this locality, and during'' the process of' excavation a "pipe was accidentally struck. Immediately;'a stream 1 'of water ' shot "'up' some "fifty feet in' height, and a crowd soon gathered to watch tho sight of a huge fountain .pitting 'in the centre,oi a busy thoroughfare! and, tho, still stranger sight of a miniature rainbow, which was to. 'bo !<een through-,the,descending shower. In about half-an-hour's time the water, was;' turned !off, the fountain ceased its play, and . men set to work v to repair tho damage! :